Napoleon and the Queen of Prussia

by L. Mühlbach

  CHAPTER LI.

  FREDERICK STAPS.

  The bands played, and shouts of "_Vive l'Empereur_!" burst from thetroops. Napoleon had emerged from the palace door, and the welcome wasas a sunbeam brightening his cold and emotionless face. He slowlydescended the steps of the outside staircase, with his eyes on thesoldiers, and he did not notice the young man who stood below,presenting to him a petition with his left hand, while he concealed hisright under his cloak.

  "Sire," said the young man, loudly and urgently, "sire, here is apetition, and I request your majesty to listen to me for a moment. I--"

  Napoleon passed on the other side without having heard these words. Theyouth, holding the petition still in his hand, was about to follow him,but Marshal Bessieres, who walked behind, kept him back. "If you presenta petition to the emperor," he said, "wait here until the parade isover, when he will return this way." The marshal proceeded, but theyoung man took no notice of his order, and mingled boldly with theemperor's suite.

  General Rapp at length laid his hand on the youth's shoulder, and said:

  "Sir, you must withdraw. This is no place for you."

  "I have to present a petition to the emperor which cannot be delayed,"said the young man, in a gentle voice, "pray permit me to give it to himat once."

  "I tell you it is out of place here," exclaimed the general, vehemently.Beckoning to one of the second lieutenants, he said: "Conduct this manaway from here."

  "Come, sir," said the lieutenant; "stand back, soldiers; let this manpass." In spite of himself, he was soon hurried to the rear.

  "I must attain my object--I must fulfil my oath," he muttered tohimself. "Napoleon must die to-day, and Frederick Staps shall be hisexecutioner. Forward!" He elbowed himself through the crowd that hadassembled behind the soldiers, and, standing on tiptoe, tried to descrythe emperor and his marshals while walking into the semicircle formed bythe troops.

  No one noticed that, seeing a passage in the ranks of the soldiers,Staps advanced, cautiously and quickly as a snake, until he was againinside the semicircle. "Fate is favorable to me," he muttered, "and themoment is at hand when I will deliver Germany!" He approached theemperor, who was just coming down the front from the other side. "Sire,"he exclaimed, stretching out his paper toward Napoleon, "take mypetition, and listen to me a few minutes."

  The emperor looked for a moment on the pale countenance of the youngman. "I do not understand you," he said; "apply to General Rapp."

  Staps apparently had not heard Napoleon's words; he approached stillcloser, and put his right hand under his cloak. "Sire, listen to me," heexclaimed, "I--" A strong hand grasped his arm and pushed him back.

  "Did you not hear that you are to apply to General Rapp?" asked MarshalBessieres. "Why did you come the second time to a place where you do notbelong? Leave immediately, or you will be arrested!"

  "I am going," muttered Staps, and turned to pass through the ranks ofthe soldiers.

  At this moment a dark suspicion arose in the mind of Bessieres, forwhich he was unable to give any good reasons, but which alarmed him. Hebeckoned to two soldiers, and, pointing at Staps, who was pressing hisway outside, he said, "Arrest that man, and bring him hither!" His orderwas obeyed in a moment, and the soldiers, holding Staps by the arms,dragged him to the marshal, whom the Duke de Rovigo and General Rapp hadnow joined.

  "Why did you have me arrested, general?" asked Staps, in a firm, calmvoice.

  "Because I distrust you," replied Bessieres. "Take off your cloak!"

  Staps hesitated. "Take off your cloak!" repeated Bessieres; and, notobeying, the soldiers violently tore the cloak from his shoulders, and,as they did so, something flashed.

  It was the blade of a large knife, in a belt with which he had fastenedhis black velvet coat.

  "He is saved and I am lost!" muttered Staps to himself, and dropped hishead on his breast.

  "What is the meaning of this knife?" asked General Rapp. "What did youwant to do with it?"

  Staps slowly raised his head and lifted up his arm to point at theemperor, who was standing but a few steps from them.

  "I intended to punish him," he said, solemnly.

  "An assassin! an assassin!" cried the marshals, in dismay, throngingaround him.

  The emperor, perhaps, had heard these cries, for he approached.

  "What is going on here?" he asked, as his eyes turned to the pale faceof the young man.

  "Sire," said Bessieres, with an air of horror, "you see here a criminalwho was about to assassinate you! Here is the knife with which heintended to perpetrate the deed."

  Not a feature of the emperor's countenance changed; not a musclequivered or betrayed any inward emotion. "Hush," he said, in a low,imperious voice. "Take the man into the palace! I will examine him afterthe parade is over. Let Savary and Rapp accompany him.--Come, marshals!"

  While Savary and Rapp, with the soldiers who surrounded Staps, hastenedinto the palace, Napoleon, escorted by his marshals, walked slowly downthe front. He did not finish the parade a minute earlier than usual.Ascending the staircase, he stood on the landing, and received again thesalutations of the military. He then stepped into the lower hall of thepalace. But there he accelerated his steps, and, hurrying through theanterooms, entered the apartment contiguous to his cabinet.

  An hour had passed since he had admired, in this room, M. Maelzl'schess-player and postilion, and now he looked wonderingly at the youngman who had tried to assassinate him. "He is really but a child, andlooks very innocent," exclaimed the emperor, shrugging his shoulders; "Ido not believe that he is an assassin."

  "Sire, here is the knife that was found on his person," said Savary,handing it to the emperor.

  "That is, indeed, a strong proof of his intention," replied Napoleon."But who tells you that this knife was designed for me? I will myselfspeak to the man. Rapp, are you sufficiently familiar with the Germanlanguage to be my interpreter?"

  "Yes, sire, I speak German."

  "Come, then," said the emperor, quickly approaching Staps, whose handshad been tied behind him.

  "Whence do you come, and what is your name?"

  "I come from Naumburg, and my name is Frederick Staps," was the calmreply.

  "What is your father?"

  "He is a clergyman."

  "A clergyman! and he has taught his son so little religion! For I amtold you intended to assassinate me. Is that true?"

  "It was the last means that I had resolved upon to save my unfortunatenative land," replied Staps, in a gentle voice. "But before doing so, Iwas determined to try another."

  "What?"

  "To implore you, in the name of my country, humanity, and your ownfuture, to give peace to the world," responded Staps, enthusiastically."I hoped that Heaven would impart strength to my words, so that theywould be able to move your heart; that your eyes would see the fountainsof blood your accursed hand has opened on the peaceful plains ofGermany; that the armies of the dead lying in our fields might satisfyyour desire for war. Sire, have mercy on Germany and on yourself! Thereare thousands of unburied corpses accusing Napoleon as their murderer!Our cities and villages are filled with weeping mothers, and widows, andchildren, arraigning you as the destroyer of their sons, husbands, andfathers. Sire, have mercy on your own conscience, and restore peace tothe world!"

  "He is assuredly insane," murmured Napoleon to himself. At this momenthe cast his eyes on a miniature, fastened to a string, and lying on thetable.

  "What locket is that?" he asked.

  "Sire," replied Rapp, "we took it from the assassin; he wore it on hisneck."

  Napoleon examined it. It contained the portrait of a beautiful woman."Whose portrait is it?"

  "Sire," said Staps, in a solemn voice, "it is the portrait of mybetrothed--my dearly beloved Anna."

  "What!" exclaimed the emperor. "You have a sweet-heart--you have amother and a father---you are in the flower of your life--and yet youintended to commit so horrible a crime! For you will not deny thatmurder is a crim
e."

  "Murder in ordinary cases is one of the greatest crimes," said Staps, inhis calm, gentle voice. "But to take your life--to rid the world ofNapoleon--is no murder and no crime; it is an act of justice--nay, it isa sacred duty! If I had killed you, no one would have called me anassassin; my attempt is criminal because it did not succeed. That iswhat one of our own great poets says concerning certain actions:

  'Conceived and unsuccessful--there's the crime! Accomplished, it becomes a deed immortal. And what succeeds will surely be forgiven, For God's own verdict lies in the result!"'[48]

  [Footnote 48:

  "Gedacht bloss und missglueckt--ist's nur ein Frevel, Vollbracht, ist's ein unsterblich Unternehmen. Und was nur glueckt, das wird dann auch verziehen, Denn jeder Ausgang--ist ein Gottes-Urtheil!"

  SCHILLER.

  ]

  "And God, then, has decided against you," said Napoleon, quickly.

  "No, God delays only the execution of the blow, and perhaps I am not theright instrument. He will choose another, and my successors will knowbetter how to find your heart. Believe me, the Germans know how to dotheir duty; and to rid Germany of her tyrant, and restore peace to herpeople, is their duty."

  "You have read a good deal, I suppose?" asked the emperor. "And it seemsbooks have excited your imagination. What were your favorite works?"

  "Sire, historical works," said Staps, calmly. "I derived from them thecourage required for my deed."

  "You know something of Brutus, then?" asked Napoleon, with acompassionate smile.

  "There were two Brutuses. The last Brutus killed the tyrant, and diedfor liberty. Mankind have not ceased admiring him, as France has notceased admiring the Maid of Orleans. She delivered her country from itsenemies, but she was captured, and perished. I intended to do what thatheroic maid did--save my native land from oppression, but God decreedthat her destiny, and not her deed, should be mine."

  "Does your father know of your folly?"

  "Neither he nor my betrothed, nor any one else, knew of my purpose. Icame hither alone, and alone I intended to accomplish it. Not until Ihad succeeded was its revelation to be made. And the news would havecome to those I love as a pledge of peace--that the deluge of blood wasover, and Germany saved!"

  "Your father and your betrothed will now receive bad tidings of you. Areyou not afraid of grieving them?"

  "Both of them will weep for me--so will many other Germans, and theirtears will water the flowers upon my grave."

  "You believe, then, that I shall have you executed?"

  "I should consider it but natural for you."

  "But it may please me to pardon you. Tell me, in that case, what youwould do?"

  "Accomplish my purpose," replied Staps, calmly. "I have sworn to killyou. I must fulfil my oath or die!"

  "Ah, you have either a morbid mind or a morbid body!" exclaimedNapoleon, vehemently.

  "No, I have neither one nor the other," replied Staps, composedly; "mymind is healthy, and so is my body."

  "Send for Corvisart," ordered the emperor, turning to his suite. "Butlet no one dare tell him what is transpiring here."

  An adjutant hastened out, and Napoleon turned again to Staps. "Are you afreemason or one of the Illuminati?"

  "Neither."

  "Did you ever hear of Moreau and Pichegru?"

  "I did."

  "And what do you think of these men, who tried to take my life?"

  "I think that they were afraid of death."

  "Did you know Schill and Doernberg?"

  Staps hesitated a moment, and replied: "I knew Schill. I saw him on theday after the battle of Jena, and we swore to devote our thoughts, ourenergies, and our lives, to the German fatherland, and never to growweary in our struggle against the tyrant. There were three of us whotook this oath. The first was Count Pueckler, who shot himself; thesecond was shot, Ferdinand von Schill; the third will also be shot,Frederick Staps!"

  "He is insane," repeated Napoleon, shuddering involuntarily at thetranquillity of the prisoner.

  The door opened, and the emperor's physician, M. de Corvisart, entered.

  "Corvisart, come hither," the emperor said, vehemently. "Examine thisyoung man, and tell me what is the matter with him." The marshals andgenerals stepped aside, and the physician approached the prisoner, whosehands had been untied a moment previously. "Examine his pulse,Corvisart; examine him carefully and tell me whether he has a fever, oris insane."

  Staps quietly stretched out his hand; Corvisart took it and laid hisfingers on the pulse. Silence reigned in the room. The marshals andgenerals in full uniform surrounded the group; in the midst stood theemperor, whose face was sadder to-day than usual; at his side was Staps,with his gentle countenance and radiant look turned toward heaven, hisright hand resting in that of the physician, who marked every pulsationwith profound attention.

  It was a scene worthy an artist's pencil. All were looking at thephysician and waited breathlessly for his decision.

  "Sire," said Corvisart, after a long pause, "this young man is inperfectly good health; his pulse is regular; there is nothing indicativeof insanity in his eyes; his complexion is good, and in fact there isnothing in his appearance to denote the slightest indisposition."

  "Ah," exclaimed Staps, with a triumphant smile, "you see that I wasright. I am neither insane nor ill."

  Napoleon stamped with anger, as his eyes flashed fire. "He is insane,Corvisart!" he exclaimed; "examine him again."

  Corvisart, did so, and in a short time said: "Sire, I cannot but repeatmy previous statement; I do not find a trace of fever or insanity. Hispulse is perfectly regular."

  "Well, then," said Napoleon, frowning, "this healthy person just triedto assassinate me!"

  "Assassinate you!" ejaculated Corvisart in dismay. "Unfortunate youngman, what could induce you to attempt such a crime?"

  "The misfortunes and sufferings of my country," replied Staps. "Idesired to deliver it from the tyrant who has been bringing misery,disgrace, and degradation on Germany for the last ten years. My attemptwas vain, but some one else will succeed in what I have failed toaccomplish. I have no actual accomplices, but the heart of every Germanis my accomplice, and the knife which dropped from my hand to-day willfall into another's. All Germany is in conspiracy. You may kill me, butthousands are ready to do what I failed to accomplish."

  The emperor indeed listened to such words, but with a dark and angrycountenance. He beckoned the Duke de Rovigo to his side.

  "Savary," he said, "take this boy away, and subject him to a closeexamination. Try to discover his accomplices. If he name them, I willpardon him."

  "Sire, you have the right to execute me, but I do not give you the rightto despise me," exclaimed Staps.

  "Take him away!" repeated the emperor, "and report to me what he says."Saluting the marshals with a wave of his hand, and, casting a lastglance on Staps, he walked by and opened the door of the cabinet, whereMinister Champagny was awaiting his return.

  "Champagny," said the emperor, wearily sitting down on an easy-chair,"did you not tell me the Prince von Lichtenstein had informed you thatfrequent propositions to assassinate me had been made to him?"

  "Yes, sire," replied Champagny, "and the prince told me he hadinvariably rejected them with horror."

  "Nevertheless, an attempt has been made. A young man, scarcely twentyyears old, with the face of a sick girl, came hither to-day to stab mewith a kitchen-knife, as he would a goose or a calf."

  "Merciful Heaven, that is terrible!" exclaimed Champagny, turning pale."The life of your majesty was really endangered, then?"

  "If the knife which an assassin aims at your breast endangers your life,mine was endangered," said the emperor, with a gloomy smile. "It seemsmy marshals were somewhat distrustful, and did not believe soconfidently in the love and admiration of the spectators as I did, andthat saved my life."

  "It is, perhaps, only a false suspicion, sire; the knife, it may be, wasnot intended for your
majesty."

  "Oh, it was! I personally examined the young man. He confesses hispurpose; he boasts of it, and says if I pardoned him he would attemptthe same thing."

  "Horrible!" exclaimed Champagny.

  "Yes, horrible!" repeated the emperor, musingly, "the more so as heassures me with the utmost tranquillity that every German shares hishatred of me; that the whole land is but a hotbed of conspiracy, andthat thousands of hands are already armed to pierce my heart. And thisyoung man is in perfect health, bodily and mentally, according toCorvisart, who twice examined him; his pulse is regular, and not in theleast feverish. Ah, these Germans have gall in their veins instead ofblood! They are fanatics, and of such we ought to beware." He droppedhis head on his breast. After some time he turned toward the minister,who was sitting opposite him in respectful silence. "Champagny," hesaid, hastily, "we must make peace. I am bent on putting an end to thewar, and on leaving the country. Return to Vienna, and send immediatelyfor the Austrian plenipotentiaries. You have already agreed as to thechief points; it is the war contribution alone that still prevents bothsides from coming to a definite understanding. You ask for fiftymillions more than the Austrians offer to pay; well, compromise withthem; induce the ambassadors to assent to the payment of seventy-fivemillions, and make peace. I am satisfied with the stipulations of thelast draft of the treaty; add to it whatever you may deem prudent. Irely altogether on you; but, at all events, make peace! Hasten toVienna. Good-by."

  The Duke de Cadore left the emperor's cabinet. Napoleon was stillmoodily sitting in his easy-chair, when he murmured: "Ah, these Germans!They cannot be trusted! They are dangerous fanatics, capable ofperpetrating the foulest and most cowardly crime, and of sanctifying iton the altar of duty."